Hal Rice

Born: 2/11/1924 in Morganette, WV, USA

Died: 12/22/1997 in Bloomington, IN, USA

MLB Debut: 1948-09-25 | Final Game: 1954-09-19

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 195 lbs

Full name: Harold Housten Rice

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Biography

Hal Rice, born in 1924, was a professional baseball player who had a career spanning from 1948 to 1954. Primarily recognized as a position player, Rice made his mark in Major League Baseball during a period characterized by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensively oriented game. Over the course of his career, he played in 424 games, where he compiled a solid batting average of .260. Rice recorded a total of 307 hits, including 19 home runs, and drove in 162 runs, showcasing his ability to contribute significantly to his team's offense. Rice's playing style was indicative of the era, where a blend of power and contact hitting was increasingly becoming desirable. Despite the competitive landscape of the post-war years, he carved out a respectable niche for himself in the league. Although he only stole one base throughout his career, Rice's offensive contributions were marked by his ability to drive in runs and maintain a consistent presence at the plate. His career, while not as widely celebrated as some of his contemporaries, reflects the hard-fought nature of baseball during a time when the sport was evolving and expanding in popularity.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
424	1183	129	307	52	12	19	162	1	94	133	0.260	0.314	0.372	0.686	-1034.6

Career AVG .260 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .314 vs. league average .338 across their career seasons — 7.0% below league average.

Career SLG .372 vs. league average .387 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.686 vs. league average 0.724 across their career seasons — 5.3% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1948	STL	NL	8	31	3	10	1	2	0	3	0	2	4	0.323	—	—	—	—	0.0
1949	STL	NL	40	46	3	9	2	1	1	9	0	3	7	0.196	—	—	—	—	0.0
1950	STL	NL	44	128	12	27	3	1	2	11	0	10	10	0.211	.265 (-21%)	.346 (-23%)	.401 (-26%)	.747 (-24%)	-580.2
1951	STL	NL	69	236	20	60	12	1	4	38	0	24	22	0.254	.260 (-3%)	.336 (-4%)	.385 (-5%)	.721 (-5%)	-216.6
1952	STL	NL	98	295	37	85	14	5	7	45	1	16	26	0.288	.252 (+14%)	.326 (-1%)	.369 (+19%)	.696 (+10%)	398.5
1953	STL	NL	8	8	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0.250	—	—	—	—	0.0
1953	PIT	NL	78	286	39	89	16	1	4	42	0	17	22	0.311	.264 (+18%)	.335 (+4%)	.397 (+5%)	.733 (+4%)	0.0
1954	PIT	NL	28	81	10	14	4	1	1	9	0	14	24	0.173	.261 (-34%)	.333 (-12%)	.390 (-27%)	.723 (-20%)	-257.6
1954	CHC	NL	51	72	5	11	0	0	0	5	0	8	15	0.153	.261 (-41%)	.333 (-30%)	.390 (-61%)	.723 (-46%)	-257.6